Vote NFP for MSA

After surveying the current field of candidates vying for seats in the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA), the Review would like to endorse the New Frontier Party (NFP) and the independent candidacies of Rory Diamond and Josh Trapani.

The NFP is the only party which truly seems to be devoted to protecting students' rights and liberties. The Review supports the NFP's platform which calls for the following: 1) reform the meal plan system; 2) end the University telephone monopoly; 3) reform the unconstitutional and draconian Student Code of Conduct; 4) bring back the printed course guides; 5) abolish the mandatory student fees; 6) the reinstitution of two-ply toilet tissue in University bathrooms. Their platform demonstrates a real desire to reform problems which have been either long neglected or perpetuated by both the MSA and the administration. NFP's libertarian perspective is exactly what is needed to protect the student body from an administration hell bent on regulating students' lives, violating their civil liberties, and picking their pockets. The NFP candidates represent just the right mix of fresh ideas and devotion to concrete issues. They are definitely not the usual pack of self-serving, resume stuffers which usually dominate the MSA. The NFP would definitely put an end to the MSA's reign of political lunacy.

The Review would also like to endorse the independent candidacies of Rory Diamond and Josh Trapani. Both candidates possess a commodity which is sorely lacking in both the current and past MSA administrations - common sense. They both see MSA as an institution which is supposed to deal with concrete student interests, not the plight of the Indonesian worker. They understand that their roles as MSA representatives are to serve the students, not themselves or the administration. These two would definitely be assets to the student body as legislative watchdogs who would not tolerate the usual political nonsense of the MSA.

The Review also feels that the Students' Party (SP) has done absolutely nothing to merit student support. The SP seems to running on the "don't worry, be happy" platform. They feel the MSA is doing a commendable job and the status quo is acceptable. Of course, this is all the usual campaign trail public relations tripe that any fledgling incumbent party will spew forth in an effort to maintain power. The SP has done nothing of value or substance for the student body. They seem to think that as long as the electorate is fed a steady diet of grandiose promises such as the mythical student-run course pack store, they will be seen as actually working for students' interests - regardless of whether or not anything is actually accomplished. It is high time we threw the bums out.

The one party which the Review wholeheartedly condemns is the Defend Affirmative Action Party (DAAP). DAAP is basically composed of members of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) running for MSA seats. While DAAP/BAMN members are quite adept at political intimidation, rabble rousing, demagoguery, and hatemongering, they are not qualified to govern this campus. They are not even qualified to live in polite society. They do not care about representing students' interests or improving the quality of campus life. DAAP's sole agenda is to turn the MSA into a political mouthpiece for BAMN and advance the cause of affirmative action. A DAAP-run MSA would basically mean that every student, through their mandatory $5.69 student fee, would become a dues paying member of BAMN. DAAP is a single-issue party driven by single-issue fanatics. Put simply, to elect DAAP members to the MSA is tantamount to letting the inmates run a mental institution. MR

This article was published in the 18 November 1998 edition of The Michigan Review (Volume 17, Number 4).
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